11 killed, 19 injured in fire at child welfare institution near Algeria’s capital

At least 11 people were killed and 19 others injured in a fire at a child welfare institution near the Algerian capital on Thursday, the country’s Civil Protection authority said.

In a statement, the authority said firefighters were continuing efforts to extinguish the blaze at the child care facility in the Mohammadia district, east of Algiers.

The death toll reached 11 in a preliminary assessment, it said.

Nineteen people were injured, including 10 who suffered burns of varying severity, two who experienced breathing difficulties due to smoke inhalation, and seven treated for shock.

Five people with disabilities were evacuated from the facility and taken to a safe location, the authority said.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.